Pentara
[[file:pentara.png|thumb|Captain Pentara on the Asiram.]] Pentara was a 24th century Garidian woman who was captain of the Garidian warbird Asiram in the 2370s decade. Starfleet Intelligence rated her as a capable but unimaginative tactican. First encounter with the Enterprise Pentara's first encounter with the Federation starship was after the Asiram had chased a Garidian scoutship across the Neutral Zone and into Federation space. The scoutship contained Pentara's own son Avakar, and two other fugitives, Lucana and T'bak. The occupants of the scoutship asked the Enterprise for political asylum, and were beamed onto the Enterprise. Pentara warned Picard that matters between her and the scoutship occupants was an internal Garidian matter, and told Picard not to interfere. Picard then convinced her to go back to Garidian space, on the basis he would overlook her violation of the Neutral Zone if she did so. :There are several outcomes of this encounter, depending on the actions by the player. It is possible to attack and destroy the ''Asiram or avoid the conflict in which case the scoutship will be self-destruct to avoid capture.'' Second encounter The Asiram then encountered the Enterprise again, at Frigis, just after an away team led by Commander Riker had discovered the original Garidian Fifth Scroll. Lucana had sent a subspace message to Garid about the discovery of the Fifth Scroll, which caused a revolution on Garid. Pentara was able to trace the location and demanded the Enterprise return Avakar, Lucana, and T'bak to her. Avakar convinced Pentara to deliver the Fifth Scroll and him and his colleagues safely back to Garid, so that their people could benefit from the wisdom of the scroll. :In case the Fifth Scroll is destroyed, the meeting is somewhat different. Avakar persuades Pentara to give Lucana safe passage back to the planet and convince the Garidian Ruling Council to hear her and stop the rebellion. Pentara did so since she would accomplish both aims, bring Lucana back and stop the rebellion, at once. Encounter at the Unity Device When the Enterprise arrived at the Unity Device, it encountered Chodak Admiral Brodnack in his vessel and Pentara in the Assiram. Pentara explained to Picard that the situation on Garid being so bad, with all opposers to the Fifth Scroll being executed, that her people needed something as powerful as the Unity Device to help the situation. All three ships sent down teams in shuttles, but Pentara, Picard, and Brodnack soon lost communications and were forcibly separated from their subordinates. All three commanders were then required to face rigorous, dangerous automated tests to see who was "worthy" of controlling the Unity Device. Picard was eventually able to persuade Pentara and Brodnack to work together to circumvent the tests, and they reached a mysterious stasis chamber containing a member of the Kabilan species, a race of telepaths that Brodnack explained were created by the ancient Chodak using the Unity Device. The Kabilan were apparently brought into existence to be perfect and impartial test administrators, and to perform psychological assessments aimed at uncovering anything that might mean a test subject was not suitable for their prospective role. The Kabilan first used telepathic insight to ruthlessly expose the fears, doubts, and some of the innermost shameful secrets hidden by each of the three visitors, in Pentara's case, her willingness to obey her orders by killing her own son. The Kabilan asked all three what they would use the Device for, and told Pentara that her honesty in saying she wanted to use it to make the Garidians a respected force in the galaxy proved her worthy. However, this was a trick and Brodnack instead took the place of the creature in the stasis chamber. ( ) :At that point, it is possible for Picard, if the player does so, to leave Pentara in the chamber and proceed, or release her. In that case, she will follow them until they meet the Unity Device Guardian and presumably will return safely to her ship after Brodnack joins the Guardian. category:captains category:garidians